OTRC: 'True Blood' to end after season 7

The HBO show "True Blood" has been canceled and will end its run after the upcoming seventh season, OTRC.com has learned.

The news was announced on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

"As we take a final walk through Bon Temps together, we will do our very best to bring Sookie's story to a close with heart, imagination and, of course, fun," executive producer Brian Buckner was quoted as saying in a message posted on the vampire show's Facebook page.

"Get your last sip when the final season of #TrueBlood launches Summer 2014," the post added.

"True Blood" debuted in 2008 and is based on a book series by Charlaine Harris. The show stars Anna Paquin as half-human, half faerie Sookie Stackhouse, who gets involved -- on more ways than one -- with vampires Bill, played by Stephen Moyer, who later married her the actress in real life, and Eric, played by Alexander Skarsgard, and other supernatural beings in her hometown of Bon Temps, Louisiana.

The series often features bloody violence and nudity and remains one of the most popular shows. The season 6 finale of "True Blood" aired on Aug. 18 and was watched by 4.1 million people and earned a rating of 2.4 among adults between ages 18 and 49. It placed second in its time slot, after "Breaking Bad."

Alan Ball, show creator who stepped down as showrunner after season 5, also commented about the program's upcoming end.

"From the moment I read Charlaine's books, I thought there was potential for something really special," he said in an HBO statement to OTRC.com. "Then our amazing writers, cast and crew brought her world to life in a way that exceeded my wildest expectations. I'm deeply grateful to HBO for being true partners and collaborators, and, of course, to the viewers who chose to spend Sunday nights in Bon Temps with us."